"All's Well"; or, Alice's VictoryHolt, Emily Sarah
General
"All's Well"; or, Alice's Victory
Holt, Emily Sarah
Counter-Reformation -- England -- Fiction; Historical fiction
Another time it was, "What lack you, sweet sir? Chafing-dishes,
shaving-basins, bowls, goblets, salts? All good and sound--none of your
trumpery rubbish!"
And Roger and Tom both lifted up sonorous voices in the cry of--
"Pots and pans! Pots and pa-ans! Chargers, dishes, plates, cups,
bowls, por-ring-ers! Come buy, come buy, come buy!"
The articles were good--Roger had seen to that--and they went off
quickly. Ladies, country housewives, farmers, substantial yeomen, with
their wives and daughters, came up to buy, until the donkey's load was
considerably diminished. At length a priest appeared as a customer.
Pandora's heart leaped into her mouth; and Mrs Collenwood, as she
produced yellow basins for his inspection, was not entirely without her
misgivings. But the reverend gentleman's attention seemed concentrated
on the yellow basins, of which he bought half-a-dozen for a penny, and
desired them to be delivered at the Vicarage. Roger bowed extra low as
he assured the priest that the basins should be there, without fail, in
an hour, and having now reduced his goods to a load of much smaller
dimensions, he intimated that they "might as well be moving forward."
The goods having been duly delivered, Roger took the road to
Lamberhurst, and they arrived without further misadventure at the Nun's
Head, where Mrs Collenwood's servant, Zachary, was on the look-out for
them.
To Mrs Collenwood's amusement, Zachary did not recognise her until she
addressed him by name; a satisfactory proof that her disguise was
sufficient for the purpose. They breakfasted at the Nun's Head, on
Canterbury brawn (for which that city was famous) and a chicken pie, and
resumed their own attire, but carrying the cloaks of Roger's providing
with them, as a resource if necessity should arise.
"Aunt Frances," said Pandora, as they sat at breakfast, "I never thought
you could have made so good a tradeswoman. Pray you, how knew you what
to say to the folks?"
"Why, child!" answered Mrs Collenwood, laughing, "dost reckon I have
never bought a brown pitcher nor a yellow basin, that I should not know
what price to ask?"
"Oh, I signified not that so much, Aunt; but--all the talk, and the
fashion wherein you addressed you to the work."
"My mother--your grandmother, Dorrie--was used to say to me, `Whatever
thou hast ado with, Frank, put thine heart and thy wits therein.' 'Tis
a good rule, and will stand a woman in stead for better things than
selling pots."
Zachary had made full provision for his mistress's journey. The horses
were ready, and the baggage-mules also. He rode himself before Mrs
Collenwood, and an old trustworthy man-servant was to sit in front of
Pandora. All was ready for proceeding at half-an-hour's notice, and
Mrs Collenwood determined to go on at once.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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